Discovering Star Trek

Last autumn, after much delay, we finally got a completely new Star Trek TV-series. We are now 12 or so episodes in and I felt I had to write something about it.

It was off to a great start with impactful story, even if a bit too action packed for my Star Trek-taste. It featured betrayal and huge consequences of those actions, and set the scene for the season to come.

Star Trek Discovery takes place before the Original Series, and during the Klingon war. In fact, we experience the reason why it started, and the first time during the war. While an interesting concept at first, it quickly grew quite tiresome, and after the first few episodes I felt the show was running out of good ideas, and I only kept watching because it was Star Trek.

But the end of the first half of the season, and the start of the 2nd half this January, has really blown my mind and I completely love it! I still think some of the episodes during the first half could have been done better, but it’s clear now that it all served a purpose – to set up gravitas for the second half. It’s very clear that this is not your classic “monster-of-the-week” Star Trek, but as most series today, a longer story told over the season. There are side-stories, but they all more or less serve the main story or build background on the characters.

It’s not a perfect show. There’s certainly problems, but if you like Star Trek, or science fiction in general, then I’m sure you won’t be let down. Just be sure to give it time. The show has already been renewed for a second season so there’s more coming.

The show is on Netflix except in the US where it’s exclusive to CBS All Access.